Attachment for stringed musical instruments



June 5, 1951 o, ADAMS 2,555,388

ATTACHMENT FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 10, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet l 39 lll'z'r'ntor A OBE/P7 0. ADA/15 2 Sheets-Sheet 2508557 GAD/4H3 R O ADAMS ATTACHMENT FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTSJune 5, 1951 Filed Feb. 10, 1950 Patented June 5, 1951 OFFICE ATTACHMENTFOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Robert 0. Adams, Monte Vista, 0010.

Application February 10, 1950, Serial No. 143,590

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an attachment: for stringed musicalinstruments and it .consists in the combinations, constructions andarrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

4 Generally there .is provided an attachment "for stringed'musicalinstruments such .as, for example, guitars, and which comprises aunitary device which may beclamped to the neck .ofithe 'instrumentandwhich includes a set of "four keys which, when depressed activateselected levers which, in turn, carry in each case, a plurality ofoutwardly extendingmetallic fingers which are'bent insuch manner as todepress strings of the: instrument in the manner .manufacture and yeteffectiveand efiicient in :use.

Another objectof .theinvention isthe provision of novel interchangeablelevers having string-depressing fingers, both forming a part of theinvention.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel keyboardforming a part of the invention.

A still further object of the invention is the provision, in a device ofthe character described, of novel means for mounting such device upon amusical instrument.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention shown mountedupon the neck of a guitar,

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figures 1 and2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section,illustrating the action of certain elements of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein anattachment for stringed musical instruments having a body comprising abase member ID to either end of which is afiixed an upstanding arm I I.Interconnecting the arms II approximately midway of their height is across arm I2 and a cross arm I3. The forward sides of the arms I I arecurved inwardly, as indicated at I4, and the arms II are provided with arearward upstanding portion I5 and a centrally located upstandingportion I6.

Afiixed in the upper ends of' the portions I 6, in each case is asemi-circular cradle I1 and a shaft I8 lies within the cradle "and ishollowed therein,at either end, by means of a substantially triangularyoke I9 to each of which yokes is afiixed a :dependant bracket memberwhich brackets 20 may beinterconnected at their lower end and beneaththe base I0.

Pivotally and interchangeably mounted upon the shaft I8 is a series oflevers 2I, 22; 23, and 24 to the upper side of each of "which is affixedby means of solder 25 or like'means, in each case, a plurality of arms26 preferably formed of metallicwire material and each bent into anirregular shape and each provided with a foot 2'! or with a plurality offeet 21a in certain instances.

The rearward ends of each of the'levers 2| to 24, inclusive is cut awayas indicated at "28. A shaft 29 is revolubly mounted in suitable groovesformed-in the upper faces" of -'-the portions I5. Revolubly mounted uponthe shaft 29 is a series of keys 3I, 32, 33 and 34, the forward ends ofwhich are adapted to engage the under sides of the levers 2I to 24,inclusive, respectively, within the cut away portions 28.

A hook engages the shaft 29 adjacent each end thereof and each of thehooks 30 is provided with a dependant shank 35 which extends through abracket 36 afiixed to the outer face of the arm II and which hasthreaded upon the lower end thereof a nut 31.

Each of the keys 3I to 34, inclusive, is provided with a felt covering38. To each of the yokes I9 there is affixed one end of an outwardlyextending bolt 39 which extends through a resilient supporting arm 40and which has threaded at the outer end thereof a wing nut 4|, a washer42 being interposed between the nut M and the support 40. A felt matting43 is interposed between the support 40 and the neck 44 of, for example,a guitar, which is provided with the customary six strings 45 and a feltmatting 46 is interposed between the other side of the neck 44 and thecurvular portion I4 of thearms II.

The underside of the forward end of each of 7 the keys 3| to 34,inclusive, is provided with an eye 41 which is interconnected by meansof a tension spring 48 with an eye 49 affixed to the base HI and acompression spring 50 is inter posed between the forward underside ofeach of the levers 2| to 24, inclusive, and the cross bar 13.

In operation, it will be apparent that the feet 21 and 210. are adaptedto engage the strings 45 at selected positions due tothe irregular shapeof the arms 26, such positions being, of course, prearranged when thesets of levers 2| to 24, inclusive, are fabricated. Thus it will be seenthat by pressing upon one of the keys 3| to 34, inclusive, at a timethat various chords will automatically be fingered by the feet 21 and21a in exactly the manner as they would be fingered by an expert playernot utilizing this device. Again, it will be apparent that even thoughthe user of the present device may have large or wide fingers that hemay nevertheless be able to play a stringed instrument since the fingersof the operator only are utilized to press one of the keys 3| to 34,inclusive, at a time. It will also be apparent that a person having butone finger may still utilize the device. The device is quickly andeasily clamped to the neck 44 of a stringed instrument by utilizing thesupport member 40 and the wine? nuts 4|.

Also, it will be seen that when the music being played calls for adifferent key than the particular set of levers 2| to 24, inclusive,which may be in the device at the time, that it is only necessary toremove the set and install a different set which may be arranged for themusical key desired.

Also, it will be seen that pressure downwardly upon any of the keys 3|,to 34, inclusive, will cause an upward movement of the rear end of therespective lever thus causing the forward end of such lever to movedownwardly against the action of the spring 50 associated therewith andcausing the feet 21 or 21a, as the case may be, to come into contactwith the strings 45 in the desired manner and that, when pressure isrelieved from the keys 3| to 34, inclusive, that the compression spring50 will cause the forward end of the lever to rise thus causing therearward end thereof to move the forward end of the associated keydownwardly. This action is assisted by the tension spring 48 of thatparticular key.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein,it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minormodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, means forremovably attaching the frame to the neck of a stringed musicalinstrument, an inner shaft carried by said frame in spaced parallelrelation to the longitudinal axis of said neck, a plurality ofhorizontally aligned levers pivoted to said inner shaft, an outer shaftmounted on said frame in spaced parallel relationship to said innershaft, a key for each of said levers, said keys being pivoted to saidouter shaft in horizontal alignment, the inner end of each of said keysunderlying the outer end of its associated lever, a tension springinterconnecting the underside of the inner end of each key with saidframe, a compression spring interposed between the underside of theinner end of each of said levers and said frame, a plurality ofirregularly shaped fingers aflixed to each of said levers and extendingover the strings of said musical instrument, and feet carried at thefree ends of said fingers and adapted to bear against selected portionsof said springs when a lever is moved against the action of itscompression spring by its associated key.

ROBERT O. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 545,963 Ling Sept. 10, 1895928,866 Hull July 20, 1909 2,183,579 Neal Dec. 19, 1939

